Brambleclaw: Ace Warrior
by Stormwish
Summary: After the death of ThunderClan's most valued member, Lionblaze is accused of the murder of his brother, his thought-to-be father defends him, while his real father prosecutes him... Inspired by the Ace Attorney series.
1. Prologue

Prologue

"I'm surprised you met me here."

"Yeah, well, when you threaten my home and family, I don't get much of a choice, do I?"

"Oh, come now, Jayfeather, you wanted to meet me here, didn't you?"

"Yeah? And what in that sick mind of yours made you think I would want to meet _you_?" Jayfeather spat the word like he had just tasted something bitter.

"Oh, come on, Jayfeather. Of course you wanted to see me. You have a desperation to prove that you have you have done nothing wrong. You are trying to save your useless butt."

"If you truly believe that I am here on my own free will, you are more mouse-brained than I thought."

The figure snorted and Jayfeather spoke again. "Why did you call me here?"

"To kill you."

"Then why haven't you?"

"Because I am waiting, savoring your last moments."

"Waiting for what?" Jayfeather asked.

"I'll tell you how you will die tonight Jayfeather," the shape said, ignoring his question. "I will claw your paw open, rendering you unable to run away," as the figure said this, Pain and heat, hand-in-hand suddenly seared through Jayfeather's front leg. He collapsed to the ground and began to lick at the new wound desperately. "After that," the shadow continued, "you will taste something foul as you lick. You will then recognize the scent of deathberries mingled with your blood."

"What have done?!"Jayfeather hissed.

"I took care of a job I've been meaning to do for a while. Taking out ThunderClan's medicine cat!" An evil face smirked in the darkness. But, just to make sure you are really dead, I will get the pleasure of tearing your throat out."

The figure shifted forward and dug his claw deep in Jayfeather's neck and moved it over.

Jayfeather tried to cry out for any last hopes of being rescued but all that came out was gurgling as he choked on his own blood. The red liquid spilled out of his mouth and onto the grass underneath him, staining it crimson.

"Jayfeather!" A new voice appeared from the distance.

The figure, who still had his claws in Jayfeather's throat retracted his claws and fled from sight.

An orange cat then came into view. And upon seeing the ThunderClan medicine cat lying on his side with blood pouring out of his throat, he ran to his side .

"Jayfeather... J- Jayfeather? Come on, wake up..." The orange cat nudged his flank with his muzzle, the body was still warm. "Jayfeather...?"

"Lionblaze?" Jayfeather's voice, almost inaudible, spoke.

"Come on, Jayfeather, I'll get yopu back to camp and we'll fix you right up." Lionblaze's voice was shaky.

"No, Lionblaze, it won't help, I'm sorry... I have to leave you."

"No, no you don't," Lionblaze's voice trailed off as he accepted reality. "Who did this to you?"

"It was... it was...," suddenly, Jayfeather's sightless eyes glazed over and his body went limp.

There was a rustling sound from the nearby bushes and a couple cats came into the clearing.

"Lionblaze?"


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

ThunderClan camp, Sunhigh the day after Jayfeather's death

Lionblaze sat, looking downcast as a well-built tabby tom entered the den. He sat down and stared straight at Lionblaze.

"Brambleclaw." Lionblaze nodded respectfully, refusing to look the cat he had once thought of as a father in the eyes. "It's good to see you."

"Lionblaze." Brambleclaw answered. "Let's have a little talk. Why were you at the scene of the crime?"

"I woke up in the middle of the night and went to see Jayfeather. When I noticed he wasn't in his den, I began to worry so I went out into the forest to see if I could find him in the forest, I called his name for a while but I couldn't find anything. I went back to camp and woke Dovewing to ask if she had seen him, she said she hadn't and offered to help me find him. She walked out into the forest with me and we reached the beach, there she heard howling from the island. I told her to stay there and ran to the island before she could follow me. When I got there I scampered straight to the clearing and found Jayfeather lying on his side, blood pouring out of his neck."

"Why did you try to see Jayfeather?" Brambleclaw asked suspiciously.

"I felt a little sick," Lionblaze answered, his voice shaking slightly, "besides," he continued, " he's my brother after all, do I need an excuse to see him?"

"No, I suppose not," Brambleclaw said hesitantly. "When you realized that Jayfeather was missing, you didn't think that maybe he went to the dirtplace?"

"Well, that was my first thought so I went and checked. The only cat there was Dustpelt who yelled t me for coming and not doing my business." Lionblaze looked down as if he was embarrassed.

"Okay. I have another question for you. Why would you go get Dovewing to help you find your missing brother and not somebody else, like maybe your mate?"

Lionblaze was quiet for a moment obviously processing this new question. "Dovewing was my apprentice, I've been through more with her, and anyways I didn't want to disturb Cinderheart, she... hasn't been sleeping well lately." Lionblaze finished. "Next question."

"Actually, I think that will be all."

"Wait, Brambleclaw," Lionblaze stopped Brambleclaw from leaving.

"Yeah?"

"What's going on, and what's going to happen to me?"

"Firestar suggested that we fight for either your freedom or banishment, and that one of our elders is going to judge whether or not you should be banished or freed, Firestar is going to suggest it at the next gathering. So you will probably be kept in camp for a while."

"Oh great, do I get visits?"

"Yes, in fact- there is someone here to see you now." Brambleclaw left, the thorn bush rustling behind him.

In stepped a gray she-cat who gave Lionblaze a sad look.


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"Cinderheart?" Lionblaze asked looking up at her from where he lay in his nest. "Thank you for coming to see me," he said, resting his head on his paws to avoid eye-contact.

"Is it true? About Jayfeather?"

"Yes, he's dead, but you already knew that didn't you?"

"Yes, some part of me wanted to hope though. They all think you killed him..."

"Ha, then everybody in this Clan must be mouse-brained! Me, kill Jayfeather? My own brother?" Lionblaze growled.

"They will mention Jayfeather's death at the next gathering, and your 'trial'," Cinderheart mewed.

"Yeah, Brambleclaw already told me, just great, huh? Just look at the situation we've all gotten into. I mean I'm not aloud to come out of this den to mourn my own brother!"

"The whole Clan is despairing because we don't have a medicine cat anymore, everybody thinks we're doomed."

"Maybe we are," Lionblaze said quietly

"What...?! no! You can't say that! We'll be fine!" Cinderheart insisted. "We'll be fine..."

There was a long pause until Lionblaze broke the silence. "I don't know what I'm going to do without my brother, he helped me through everything, he was the one I went to when I was confused or in trouble. And now he's gone, and I don't know what to do with the rest of my life."

Cinderheart was silent.

"Sorry," Lionblaze apologized. "I've been holding that in for a while."

"It's ok, it's expected when your brother and best friend dies," Cinderheart replied.

"Yeah..." their voices just stopped, trailing off into an awkward silence.

"I've got to go, I'm on the next hunting patrol," Cinderheart said, stooping down to lick the top of Lionblaze's head.

She turned and left leaving Lionblaze with his thoughts.

Brambleclaw turning away from Lionblaze's den letting the brambles tear at his fur as he left. He stepped aside to let Cinderheart in.

He headed straight for Firestar's den.

"Firestar?" Brambleclaw called.

"Yes?"

"I talked to Lionblaze."

"Oh, come in, please," Firestar said.

Brambleclaw entered. "I don't think we have much of a case, between what we found at th crime scene and what he said. This is going to be a hard battle to win, but I don't think that Lionblaze is guilty, so I will fight as hard as I can to make sure he will be found innocent."

"I don't think that Lionblaze is guilty either, but a cat is dead, a medicine cat to be specific, and the rest of the Clans need a reason and a killer before they will let this go."

"Yeah, I know," Brambleclaw answered solemnly. "This next gathering is going to be a long one."


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Light shining in through the makeshift den woke Lionblaze. It had been at least a quarter moon since the murder of Jayfeather. He had no idea how long it had really been, just that it had been a while. Cats came and went. Some talked to him. Some missed him. Some were sad for him, and others were wary of him.

The brambles at the entrance to the den rustled and Brambleclaw stepped in. "Hello Lionblaze," Brambleclaw said, nodding his head in greeting.

Lionblaze only grunted.

"The gathering is tonight." Brambleclaw said bluntly.

"Tonight?!" Lionblaze looked up in shocked amazement. "How is that possible?"

"It's been a while since you've been out of your den.

"Yeah, well, I really love all the stares I get when I do, and don't get me started on the hushed voices and empty clearing." Lionblaze mewed sarcastically.

"I'm not blaming you," Brambleclaw said calmly. Although he was trying his best to hide it, Lionblaze detected a hint of sympathy in his tone.

"You don't have to be sympathetic for me! Just cause I'm stuck here in this stupid den, doesn't mean I'm worthless, like the rest of the Clan seems to think!" Lionblaze growled.

"Calm down Lionblaze," Brambleclaw began.

"I am calm!"

Brambleclaw gave Lionblaze a small cuff over the ear.

"What was that for?"

"Wallowing in self pity," Bramleclaw repliedsternly, revealing some of the fatherly emotions he never really could get rid of towards him.

"I was not!"

"Have you heard yourself?"

Lionblaze looked down, obviously ashamed. "Sorry, I guess I've been locked up in this den for so long that I forgot how to be a warrior."

"Good, now that we have got your manners sorted out, Firestar wants you to be ready before we leave for the gathering."

"Wait, ready for what?" Lionblaze asked as Brambleclaw was turning away, sounding confused.

"Haven't you heard? Firestar wants you to come to the gathering with the rest of the Clan."

"No thanks," Lionblaze said, looking down, "I don't want to be the piece of fox dung that apparently killed his brother. I used to be a great warrior and now I'm a prisoner to a lie."

"You won't be going as a prisoner, Firestar says he won't tell the rest of the Clans who the character of suspicion."

"Oh is that what they are calling me now?" Lionblaze meowed dryly.

Brambleclaw grunted and left the sad little den that Lionblaze was currently calling a home.

At that moment, it started to rain,the water seeking its way through the many holes in the badly made den, soaking Lionblaze to the skin. He sighed._ Guess I better get used to this, _he thought, _because if Brambleclaw doesn't win this battle for me, this will be my new life waiting for me around the corner._ Lionblaze set his head on his paws, dreaming about the first time he will be out of camp in half a moon.


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Brambleclaw shoved his way through the entrance to the den. "Time to go," he said gruffly.

The sun was going down behind the trees, turning the camp golden. Cats were bustling around the clearing doing this and doing that, getting ready to go to the island for the gathering.

Firestar climbed down from the Highledge and signaled with his tail that they should be off. The Clan followed him out into the forest. It's funny how when you have been away from something you are very familiar with long enough, you start picturing it differently. That's how Lionblaze felt at this moment as he stepped through the camp entrance and into the beloved forest he called home. Everything was almost he left it, but somehow it looked so different. Last time he was here, it was the end of greenleaf, now the leaves on the trees were crusted red and gold and brown, entangled with the last stubborn bits of green.

Brambleclaw dropped out of the crowd to walk beside him. The look in his eyes was one of sympathy, one that only made Lionblaze furious, but he shoved the anger deep down so he could not unleash it.

"When we get to the gathering, act as if this is just any other gathering, and so will the rest of the Clan." Brambleclaw says it as if it is easy, but it is not easy to pretend your brother had just died. It is not easy to pretend that you are not suspected for the murder of your own brother.

"Okay," Lionblaze answers through clenched teeth.

"Brambleclaw," Firestar called from the front of the group.

"I gotta go," Brambleclaw gave Lionblaze an apologetic gaze then trotted off to answer Firestar's summoning. Lionblaze did not need an apology, in fact he was happy he left, or at least it made him feel better. He slowed until he was by himself at the end of the group, trailing along like his paws were too heavy to lift, half dragging them.

This gathering would get him one step closer to deciding his fate.. They had reached WindClan border when they saw the other cats silently slithering out of their hollow. They walked alongside the lake the water gently lapping at the shore.

When they reached the tree bridge, they crossed one by one, Lionblaze going last. They walked into the clearing, moving as if they were one, big cat. There were traces of ShadowClan and WindClan, RiverClan had not yet arrived. Then the Clan split up to go talk to cats from different Clans. Lionblaze found a nice corner to lay down in, paws tucked under him. His eyes were watchful, but he did not move, and he did not interact.

The Clans talked and every once in a while, an arrogant snort was heard from across the clearing, recognizable as Berrynose.

After what felt like a moon, the leaders made their way up the tree, and called the Clans to order.

Blackstar went first, explaining that the hunting was still going really well for the Clan, and that there had been a new litter of kits had been born.

Next was Mistystar, prideful in the fact that the fish in the river was plentiful, but that there wasn't very much to report.

After her, Onestar went on to say that a patrol chased off a fox, but they did not see where it went.

All this polite small talk drove Lionblaze insane, his brother was dead and all they had to report was food and foxes. He let out a low growl, quiet enough that he wasn't heard by anybody near him.

Firestar went last. He stepped forward and cleared his throat. "Our, medicine cat, Jayfeather has died." Firestar said, pausing for a moment as shocked gasps rippled throughout the Clan. "And even more than that, he was murdered." His words were answered with an eruption of hushed murmurs. "We have someone that might have been the killer, but he is not here right here now, he is back at our camp, and we will not be giving away his identity until we find out what to do with him."

"What do you mean 'do with him'?" Blackstar asked.

"We will have a cat to defend him, and we will have a cat to go against him, we will also have a cat to decide whether or not he is guilty or innocent." Firestar said.

"And who will be defending him?" a cat yelled from the crowd.

"My deputy, Brambleclaw."

"Who will be going against him?"

"We are not sure yet." Firestar answered.

At this point, Onestar stepped forward. "Surely, it should not be someone from your Clan, they will be biased."

Whispers of agreement entered the crowd's quiet conversations.

"I will send someone from my Clan who I think is qualified," Onestar replied.

"Very well," Firestar dipped his head.

"And what about the cat that judges him?" Blackstar stepped forward this time. "They should not be ThunderClan either."

"True," Firestar agreed.

"I will send one of my elders to your Clan to judge him." Blackstar said.

Finally, Mistystar stepped forward last. "Now we should have a bunch of cats to react. Kind of like why we bring our Clans to gatherings. I will send some of my Clan." She said.

"Great," Blackstar said, " now, when is this going to happen?"

"Hmmm..." Firestar said closing his eyes, "half a moon from now."

Lionblaze had hardly heard any of what was being said. These cats were deciding how his fate would be decided, when he had never done anything wrong. This was going to be a long and hard battle to win.

"I believe that this gathering is over," Blackstar said, jumping down from the tree. At the last second, he turned back to Firestar and said, "Firestar, I believe all of the Clans will mourn the loss of Jayfeather tonight."


End file.
